Nautilus International is an independent, influential, global trade union and professional organisation, committed to delivering high quality, cost-effective services to members, and welfare support to necessitous seafarers, their dependants and other maritime professionals.

Nautilus works with members, the maritime community, national governments and international agencies to create change, which improves the lives of maritime professionals. We give a voice to maritime professionals from the very beginning of their training, throughout their employment and into retirement.

In this section, you can find out about the Union's legal and welfare services to members. You can also find information about some of the issues members face and suggestions on what you can do about them.

Following discussions earlier in the year and the subsequent signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two organisations shortly before Christmas, strategic organiser Danny McGowan welcomed ZS Wellness, to the Union's expanding network of strategic partners.

The company was set up by CEO Andrew Cowderoy, a former cadet and aspiring seafarer who used his tough experiences of rebuilding his life after being declared unfit to return to work due to an unexpected diagnosis with ulcerative colitis.

While the MOU resulted from the Union's yacht crew organising, all Union members from any sector are being offered the two special new discounts - which could save them either £924 a year or £55 a month for a monthly-only membership, explained Mr McGowan.

'The memorandum reflects ZS Wellness's commitment to professional professionalism, safety and welfare of maritime professionals working at seas and ashore, so we are pleased to support the offer by ZS Wellness for our members,' he added.

AIM – which has been developed by ZS Wellness specifically for crew at sea - uses smart watches, from Garmin, to provide bespoke wellness support for seafarers around the world, whether offshore, on cruise liners, super yachts, passenger ferries or any cargo ship. The company works with industry leading partners to provide the best support available.

ZS Wellness is are aiming for 1,000 users by end of January 2019 and for every user it is donating £20 to a maritime charity.

members wanting to take advantage of the offer open to them until the end of February should log into My Nautilus to get the special discount code to quote for this fitness programme.

Nautilus strategic yacht parterships

read more about the Union's work in the Yacht sector and click the country headings to find a partner.

D&B Services

D&B Services is a crewing agency in France, specialising in yacht management, crew training, crew placement and crew declaration, which manages the Union's office in Antibes. The company is also authorised to deliver and rent boats and conduct yacht maintenance, as well as supply equipment.

D&B Services has full recognition from the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency as a training provider for the STCW2010 Basic Safety Training in Antibes.

The Crew Academy

The Crew Academy is based near Antibes in Golf Juan, France. It is the only provider of a dedicated training course for pursers within the superyacht industry, and offers other hotel and catering department courses from beginner to management level. Bespoke onboard and land-based training is delivered by experienced senior former yacht crew and leaders in the global hospitality industry.

YachtChefs.com

YachtChefs.com is a recruitment and placement service, based in Antibes and committed to being MLC compliant. They place chefs onto superyachts globally, providing candidates with tips and advice to secure a new role and also offer captains or managers the chance to source chefs 24/7 when required.

Voyonic Crewing Limited

Voyonic Crewing Limited offers crew payroll and employment solutions to yacht owners and operators, and work closely with captains and yacht managers to coordinate day to day basics of employment.

Voyonic was the first organisation to obtain a certificate of compliance with MLC 2006 from the Guernsey authorities. Recognising the importance of the MLC they ensure that their clients also have individual certification of compliance in accordance with classification society DNV GL standards on seafarer recruitment and placement.

Hemisphere Monaco

Hemisphere Monaco is a specialist superyacht service provider based in the heart of Monaco and founded in 2012, which offers a collection of services dedicated to yacht owners, their captains, owners' representatives and yacht management firms.

The team offers dynamic and intelligent solutions for payroll and contracts, ship to shore financial management, mini-ISM management, crew recruitment and interior training.

Sovren Crew

Based in Palma, Mallorca, Sovren Crew (formerly Dovaston Crew) has become a world leader in the placement of professional yacht crew. Since the company opened its office in 1996, over 25,000 captains, mates, engineers, chefs, service staff and deckhands of all levels and nationalities have registered.

CrewFO

Crew Family Office (CrewFO) is a UK financial and planning service for yacht crew. As part of its partnership with Nautilus, it will also provide Nautilus members with preferential rates for completing their UK tax returns.

CrewFO is owned and run by ex-yacht crew – ensuring that they know the ins and outs of the industry when helping members with finance, insurance and tax issues.

Marine Accounts

Marine Accounts has offices in the UK, US, Australia and New Zealand, and can advise yacht crew on their tax and residency status around the world.

Its personnel are specialists in filing individual tax returns under the UK Seafarers Earnings Deduction (SED) and the US Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE). Their extensive experience and understanding of seafarers means they can efficiently advise and file tax returns with minimum delay and inconvenience. They offer a dedicated one-on-one service and provide follow-up care and advice for ease of mind and future planning.

Red Square Medical

Red Square Medical is a UK-based maritime medical solutions service that delivers training, telemedicine, consultancy and travel health services to the maritime industry. The company has a commitment to the professionalism, safety and welfare of maritime professionals working at sea and ashore across the maritime industry.

UKSA

UKSA is a charitable organisation renowned for its work focusing on youth development and professional training in yachting and other maritime industries. The organisation has a strong ethos of cadet welfare and prides itself on the pastoral care afforded to cadets and other maritime professionals who use its educational facilities.

All UKSA students undertaking the Professional Yacht Cadetship, RYA Yachtmaster and interior courses now have their first year's membership of Nautilus included as part of their package of benefits of studying at the academy.

West Nautical

West Nautical has over 20 years' experience in yacht management, charter and sales brokerage. Its team also provide new build consultancy, operational management, crew employment and charter marketing.

Located in the UK, Monaco, France and Russia, West Nautical has a commitment to the professionalism, development, safety and welfare of individuals working on large yachts across the globe.

Wilsonhalligan

Based in Park Gate, Southampton – near Warsash Maritime Academy and ECDIS UK – wilsonhalligan has a collaborative, communicative and open approach to providing advice and guidance to applicants. The consultancy also works with the flag administrations to ensure the maritime certification regulations and requirements that apply to today's yacht operations are complied with.

Yotspot

Yotspot has been a successful online community since launching in 2010, bringing captains, crew and employers together for jobs, sailing opportunities, courses and much more.

Based in Southampton, UK, Yotspot has over 45,000 registered crew with over 10,000 jobs advertised each year by yachts, management companies and recruitment agencies. They also have a searchable database of over 6,000 maritime courses.

ZS Wellness

ZS Wellness use’s technology and innovation to improve the wellness of crew at sea. Its partnerships with Oracle, UK P&I Club, Garmin, The Dan Roberts Group and Red Square Medical mean it can operate on a global scale.